All I Want for Christmas
by BelleDayNight
Summary: It is finals time at the Xmen Academy. Hellion is sad about another lonely Christmas until an unexpected visitor comes back into his life offering to help him study up for that Biology Final Exam. (Hellion x X-23)


**All I want for Christmas**

**Summary: **It is finals time at the Xmen Academy. Hellion is sad about another lonely Christmas until an unexpected visitor comes back into his life offering to help him study up for that Biology Final Exam.

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Hellion shifted in his bed, the comforter too heavy and hot as usual. He was from Los Angeles and these upstate New York winters were difficult to adjust to the cold. It was hard to find the perfect balance so that he was warm at night without sweating through his sheets at the same time. His brain hurt from the first half of Dr. McCoy's Biology final. The school might have been under attack by S.H.I.E.L.D. anti-mutant sentinels, but that didn't mean exams were canceled. It was a challenge to dissect without hands, but that was no excuse at Wolverine's Academy also known as the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. However, he couldn't complain too much. His telekinetic powers had evolved substantially since his injury and he was able to manipulate a pair of special metal alloy prosthetic hands when he needed them.

Christmas was approaching, but the holiday meant little to him. The staff tried to spruce up the academy with festive trees and lights, but for Hellion it wasn't a jolly sort of year. He hadn't seen his parents in three years. Would it have hurt them to have sent him a holiday card to know that they were alive and well? His numbers of friends dwindled after so many were depowered after the Scarlet Witch fiasco a few years ago. And his best friend was an emotionally stunted assassin that broke up with him the past winter so she could attend some snobby Avengers Academy.

He sat up in bed, feeling a slight shift in the air. He could smell her. Not like Wolverine could smell, but he recognized her shampoo, the body wash she used, the scent of her freaking tooth paste. This wasn't the first time she'd spied on him in the night. She didn't want anything to do with him and yet she would visit him when she thought he wouldn't notice.

"Are you happy, Laura? I'm at your father's school now. I'm even making top marks in my classes. But then, you're not here to hear me anymore are you? Either talk to me or leave me alone for good," Hellion said brushing his long hair out of his eyes with his forearm. "Is it these? Do they disgust you?" he asked holding up his disfigured arms.

There was a shadow at his window and X-23 slipped back inside. "No, Julian," Laura said entering his room again. "If you disgusted me I would not have bargained with the devil to save your life."

"You did what?" Julian asked sitting up more fully. He used his telekinetic powers to move aside his comforter. The metal alloy he used for hands flew off his desk and formed a semblance of hands. He patted the spot next to him on the bed and Laura sat at his side, stretched her legs out alongside his. It was amazing that someone so fierce was actually rather petite. His legs were a good six inches longer than hers.

"It was shortly after your accident," Laura said. "So, top marks?"

Julian was able to follow a change in topic and he would let it slide this time. "How are things for you at the Avengers Academy?"

"You are partly to blame for me joining that school," Laura said. She began to pick at her nails.

"How is that? I'm pretty sure I started attending Wolverine's school so that I could be with you," Hellion argued. He wasn't a fan of the hypocritical Scott Summers and that had been another motivating factor in choosing Wolverine's school. He needed to improve his skills if he was to function with his physical disability.

"I've killed people. I've killed a lot of people," Laura said quietly. "I was trained as an assassin and I continued to do assassination. I've killed for you," she said glancing over. "Lady Deathstrike fell at my hands for what she did to you."

"So why did you join the Avengers Academy?"

"Because Avengers don't kill," Laura said. Her hand bunched into fists at her thighs. "Or at least they didn't until I joined them."

"What happened?"

"Battle Royale – Avengers style. A powerful madman named Arcade pitted us against one another." X-23's chin fell against her chest and her dark hair covered her eyes. "I was one of the six victors," she said quietly. "I tried to not kill anymore, but they released a Trigger Scent and I had no choice. That is what Frost always feared."

Hellion used his alloy hands and took hold of Laura's chin and turned her face to him. The year apart hadn't changed her much. Her eyes were still haunted, but that was better than the empty and emotionless look they had when they first met. Her cheekbones were more prominent. And maybe it was just him, but her lips looked more full. He was aware of Emma Frost's concerns over X-23's stability as he was the student Frost had tasked with keeping an eye on Laura. "You did what you had to do or were forced to do. I've killed. It was the right thing to do at the time – a fellow student was being controlled by a dark force and the moment she gained control she asked me to release her and I did. Cyclops wouldn't forgive my action. Rogue threatened to take me out since I showed no remorse. As I recall she's the one that was part of the Terrorist group the Brotherhood."

"If she killed you she would die," Laura vowed. She reached up her hands so that she gripped Julian's metal alloy ones that were still cupping her face. "These are not so bad." She started to lean forward and their lips met. They had only kissed once before and X-23 had broken up with him moments later.

Hellion returned the kiss, his hormones running high at the proximity of Laura on his bed. Only they weren't on his bed. When he opened his eyes and took a much needed breath he saw that he'd levitated them above the bed and there was a soft green telekinetic glow about them.

"I believe you are strong enough to keep me from going into a murderous rage," Laura said with a faint smile. "If that scent is released you are to keep me from harming others. I cannot break my way out of a telekinetic prison no matter how berserker I might feel."

"I can do that," Julian agreed.

"What's with all the lights about the school?" Laura asked.

"Decorations for Christmas," Julian answered. "The teaching staff were struggling to keep things festive. Not too much to be cheery about this holiday though."

"It is customary for people to exchange gifts at Christmas, is it not?" Laura asked.

Considering that X-23 was raised in a lab it wasn't surprising that she didn't know too many details about the holiday. She also wasn't known for having a long list of friends. "Yes. That's the custom. You give a gift to friends and loved ones."

"And what would you like for Christmas, Julian?" Laura asked snuggling against his chest.

Hellion lowered them to his bed and wrapped his arms around her. "All I want for Christmas is right here."

Laura angled her face so that her blue eyes met his gaze. "I hear the second half of Dr. McCoy's Biology final is quite challenging. Would you like some help studying?"

"I certainly would," Hellion said with his old confident smile spreading across his lips.

"Just so you know, if you say Sofia's name I might accidentally let my claws slip," Laura warned as she pressed kisses to the underside of his jaw.

"Who?" Hellion teased. He hadn't thought of his ex-girlfriend in a long time. She wasn't even a mutant anymore. He wanted someone that knew of his dark side and still accepted him. He wanted a teammate and a lover in one. "You're the one I think about that keeps me up late at night."

"Let's see how late I can keep you up tonight," Laura whispered. And that was when Hellion remembered that X-23 had spent several months as a prostitute when she'd first escaped her captivity. While it granted her certain acquired skills he didn't want to scar her even more emotionally. He cared for her too much.

"Hold on, are you sure, Laura?"

"I'm making my own decisions these days, Julian. I choose you."

Julian felt his muscles relax under her skillful hands, his worries and frustrations were forgotten, and an overall cheerful mood descended upon him. "Best Christmas ever," he mumbled. "Welcome back home, Laura."

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A/N: This is a Christmas present to myself (and any other X23Hellion shippers out there). I was catching up on my comic book reading and in the latest Wolverine and the Xmen there was a panel with Hellion. Oh how I miss him! And since X-23 basically was uninvited to return to the Avengers Academy with the other survivors of Avengers Arena I'm hoping she returns home to Wolverine's school.


End file.
